Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan: Friends and rivals raise swimming’s profile in Northern Ireland
Image source, Inpho
By Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist
Daniel Wiffen and Jack McMillan are friends and rivals. While Wiffen competes for Ireland, McMillan represents Great Britain, both are originally from Northern Ireland.
They have achieved Olympic, World, and European championship titles, and have been competing against each other since their teenage years at Swim Ulster-organised galas.
However, until the recent European Short Course Championships in Poland, they had never faced each other in an international competition.
Wiffen and McMillan were teammates for Ireland at the postponed 2021 Tokyo Olympics. McMillan later transferred to Great Britain as his training base moved to the University of Stirling in Scotland.
The 25-year-old Belfast native is renowned for his 200m freestyle swimming and as a member of the highly successful Team GB 4x200m freestyle relay squad, which won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the World Championships this year.
Wiffen, a year younger than McMillan, from the village of Magheralin straddling the border between counties Armagh and Down, made history in Paris, becoming Ireland's first male Olympic swimming champion, winning gold in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 1500m.
Now, at the European final, they stood side by side on the blocks.
Image source, Jack McMillan
McMillan outshines Wiffen for European gold
McMillan humorously noted that it was their first race against each other, as they don't typically compete in the same events.
He expressed enjoyment in racing Wiffen, despite the mixed emotions of a Northern Ireland native competing against a fellow countryman.
McMillan led the race until overtaking Wiffen, claiming his first senior international individual title. Wiffen finished in third place.
Wiffen, who had appendicitis surgery in September, rebounded by retaining his European title in the 1500m freestyle, followed by a bronze in the 800m.
McMillan secured a silver medal in the 200m freestyle, behind his Great Britain teammate and training partner, Duncan Scott.
Together, the two swimmers from Northern Ireland medaled in the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events.
This bodes well for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the two rivals will become teammates.
Wiffen praised McMillan's individual success, highlighting their strong friendship and regular communication.
McMillan added that the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be a great opportunity, with an expected positive atmosphere and a strong Northern Ireland swimming team.
The team is expected to include Olympians Grace Davison, Danielle Hill, Victoria Catterson, and Conor Ferguson, as well as world finalist Ellie McCartney and emerging young stars like Lottie Cullen and Nathan Wiffen.
Paralympians Bethany Firth and Barry McClements are also anticipated to compete.
Wiffen confidently predicts a record medal haul for Northern Ireland in swimming at the Commonwealth Games.
He aims to secure the gold medal for Northern Ireland, anticipating multiple medals across various freestyle events.
The friendly rivalry between Wiffen and McMillan has already contributed to raising swimming's profile in Northern Ireland, and it is expected to continue in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, exciting sports enthusiasts worldwide.
